Beyond Ribbons

iStockphoto

Today a first of its kind event called “Autism Pride Week” is concluding in North Carolina. When I first heard about it I was curious about its overall impact. We all know about Autistic Pride Day that started a few years back and I wondered if this was an outgrowth. Autism Pride Week as I watched from a short video via WLOS TV station is a week focused on being proud of being autistic. It highlights “Autism Pride” in ways that may be familiar, but extending it over an entire week allows it to be much more comprehensive.

What made for icing on the cake for me is that this event has the complete support of the community where it is being hosted. This support could not be more apparent. The Mayor of Asheville, Terry Bellamy, proclaimed the week of June 16th as “Autism Pride Week”. This is a great step to the possible reccurrence of an event like this in the future. As someone who plans and implements events it makes a huge difference to have the support of the local government.

This is absolutely a step in the right direction. This is a topic that is going to be contagious, as “our society” grows older and more educated. We have a wide spectrum out there and as much as we see the problems associated with autism highlighted we also have to look at the happiness that many autistic people enjoy each and every day. As an autistic adult my overall sense of pride and acceptance of myself has changed dramatically as I’ve grown up. I’m happier with myself than I’ve been in years and that’s why I can support something like this so openly. Events like this should be welcomed with open arms. Currently Autism Acceptance Month is April.

The question, which I think is worth being raised, is simple. If the numbers of those with autism continue to grow dramatically, then why shouldn’t events concerning or highlighting and celebrating us increase as well?

I commend the fantastic efforts done here and wish this week will be adopted in many of our communities in years to come.

To prevent automated spam submissions through the Autism After 16 website, please enter the Captcha form below. We apologize for the inconvenience, but reduced spam helps us respond to your inquiries faster.

These days autism appears to be the disorder du jour and headlines about the newest autism breakthroughs are everywhere. Sometimes filled with jargon or unfamiliar references,...

We have previewed and commented on the "How-To" videos below. Some of these are simple; others are fairly complex. Refer to these yourself, or use them with your adult child or student to help teach and generalize skills. Please note that some videos may contain skills which require support or training. You must determine which are appropriate for you, your adult child, or your student to use safely. Also note that as these videos come from other websites, they may contain pop-up ads. Click on an icon to see category index. Click here for full index.